City's Plan to Outsource Operations at Boone Park Tennis Complex Moving Ahead

Despite a signed petition with over 500 resident names, the City of Jacksonville appears to be moving ahead with plans to “outsource” operations of Boone Park tennis complex. They are in negotiations with Community Connections, a Jacksonville nonprofit that operates the city-owned Normandy Community Center. A party of the agreement is to require that fees remain “reasonable”. Current fees at Boone Park are $2.50 for 90 minutes, or $80 for a one-year pass. Read more in the Times-Union article at Jacksonville.com>>

WHERE
Church of the Good Shepherd (located at the corner of Stockton St. & Park St.). The meeting will take place in the Worsham Room (enter parking lot from Forbes St.).

WHEN
Tuesday, September 8 at 7 PM.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND
We need all interested residents - homeowners & renters - at the organizational meeting.

Please also consider if you are willing to serve as a Block Captain. The time requirements are minimal (3 to 4 hours a month) but the rewards are great as we work to make Riverside “crime free”.

DOWNLOAD THE FLYER

RAP is working to help establish a Neighborhood Watch Program. This pilot program is for those living in the area north of College Street to I-10 that are located between Stockton Street on the west and Margaret Street on the east are included. Once the program is working smoothly we plan to expand it if there is interest. For now, those in the area mention, please attend this meeting. We need your input.

Getting What’s Yours from Homeowners Insurance

Tom Kraeutler, the host of the weekly radio talk show, The Money Pit, has a great post over at Wallet Pop about home insurance. You need to be prepared, not just for the major events, but for all the severe storms or tornados that pass through. We all know they can cause some pretty severe damage themselves. He'll run you through the steps of what you need to do if your home is hit. Here's a sample.

With summer storms upon us and hurricane season well underway, it's a good time to think about the homeowner's insurance coverage you have and what you might need to do should you ever need it. Insurance coverage is a financial necessity should a major disaster hit, but damage caused by many smaller weather events could also trigger a claim. Read more>>

This Weekend at RAM

This weekend the Riverside Arts Market celebrates National Dog Day by transforming into the Riverside Arf Barket. Visitors are encouraged to bring leashed, friendly dogs to enjoy their special doggie day. RAM will be hosting a free parade for costumed canines with prizes given in several categories.

In addition to our Dog Day Celebration, the Riverside Arts Market proudly features 160 artists who display and sell their works each Saturday. They represent a wide array of artwork, from oil paintings and sculpture to jewelry and hand-made gifts. Other popular components of RAM include a diverse fresh produce section along our Farmer's Row. Many visitors come every week to select from locally grown fruit and vegetables. Muscadine grapes, peaches, tomatoes, and goat cheese have been popular in recent weeks. There are also food vendors who sell ready-to-eat meals from shrimp creole to barbeque to beignets, which can be enjoyed along the riverfront while listening to free music.

Rounding out the festival atmosphere is an ever-changing troupe of street performers, who are spread throughout the market and are likely to pop up anywhere with an impromptu musical performance or a magic act. RAM's weekly live entertainment on the River Stage is a major attraction for the thousands of visitors who come each Saturday. This week RAM is featuring The John Carver Band, a folk rock, acoustic group that takes stage at 12:30 pm.

An added event this weekend is jax REcycle where you can bring your old unwanted or broken bikes to The Bike Valet this Saturday. The refurbished bikes are then given to residents of Community Connections and Sulzbacher Center where they will help those trying to get back on their feet and in need of transportation. It's a win-win. Someone gets much needed transportation and you get to clean out your garage.

With over one football field's area of covered space beneath the bridge, the all-weather market allows artists to exhibit without worry of rain or hot sun. The Riverside Arts Market is free and has over 1,000 free nearby parking spaces. RAM is open to the public from 10AM to 4PM.
For more information on RAM, visit www.riversideartsmarket.com

Pick a Realtor with Common Sense

If you're looking to sell your house, picking the right real estate agent is one of the most important things you can do. Wallet Pop has a take on what you should do before hiring that agent. It isn't rocket science. All you really need to do is open your eyes and use a little common sense of your own.

When we sold our last house on College Street our Realtor created a thick book full of photos and information about not only our house, but living in the district and in Jacksonville as a whole. He also staged our house and stayed on top of us by making sure we kept our house in order all the time just in case that surprise potential buyer dropped in. Here are nine tips on staging your home for a quick sale. I was amazed at the huge number of houses that we saw when we were looking that were in pretty bad shape – dirty dishes that had been in the sink for days (or more), unkempt and uncut landscape and unmade beds and dirty clothes on the floor. These are tough times for home sellers. Every detail could be the one detail that either makes or breaks the deal.

5 Points Theater Seeking Local Filmakers

5 Points Horror Fest coming in October.

The 5 Points Theatre is now accepting submissions for local short horror films. Drop off a DVD at the theater after 5:00 on weekends, after 7:00 on weekdays, or mail submissions to 1022 Park St. Suite 201, Jacksonville, FL 32205

New gallery to open in Avondale

Avondale Artworks opens Friday, August 14. The new gallery is located at 3568 St Johns Avenue, and features a variety of very talented artists from north Florida. The gallery's web site is still under construction but Brian Gray stopped by the new gallery and took a look. See what he had to say over at The Outer Box.

Sad Day For Jacksonville

Yesterday, Jacksonville lost one of its grand homes to fire. The "Bettes Plantation House", built in 1909, had been undergoing restoration over the past two years and caught fire as workers were using a torch to strip paint. We've all seen the local landmark, located in the 3700 block of Ortega Boulevard. To the neighbors, this rambling, antebellum nestled among sprawling oaks was more than just another historic home. It has been home to Easter egg hunts, Christmas parties, debutante balls and a general gathering place for the neighborhood.

No one was hurrt in fire. More than 60 firefighters fought the blaze but in the end, could only contain the fire.

Jazz Festival Poster Contest

You have about three weeks left before the deadline to submit your design for the 2010 Jacksonville Jazz Festival poster? The winning artist will receive a cash prize and festival perks associated with being the artist of the 2010 Jacksonville Jazz Festival commemorative poster.

Submit your vision for the 2010 poster today!

This Weekend at RAM

Summer's in full swing and we've got some pretty cool stuff (again) at RAM this weekend. Jacksonville's very own River City Band Satin Swing Ensemble jazzes things up on the River Stage starting at 10:30. Then at 1:30 we're proud to have Warren Floyd rock the house. Floyd has played with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and shared the stage with a long list of rock royalty--from The Marshall Tucker Band to Bonnie Raitt to the Dixie Chicks. When you're walking around the market, look out for yoga demos by Tara Rawson, local honey, fresh tomatoes, belly dancers, orchids, ripe peaches, goat cheese, olive bread and chocolate croissants, beignets, shaved ice and lots of cool art to inspire and enjoy. Take a pedicab ride to Five Points, visit the Cummer or stroll the Riverwalk when you're done. It is sure to be another great Saturday.

Tonight in 5 Points… First Fridays!

6-9pm

Bakesale to benefit the 5 Points Beautification Project.

Tasty cupcakes by local baker Marisa Carta.
Engaging local art and handmade wares.
Live music by local favorite Airport Factory.
Special sales and events in stores.
A great time with friends.
And much much more!

Plus at 8:30 don't miss our cupcake eating contest!
Email stuffyourfacewithcupcakes@gmail.com to register.
Only $4 to enter and cash prize for the winner!